Nairobi — Nine out of the 40 applicants who applied for the Senate Speaker post have submitted their application before the stipulated deadline that was set at 2.30PM.
Among the front runners who have submitted their nomination papers for the post include Kenya Kwanza Alliance candidate Amason Kingi and Kalonzo Musyoka who was fronted by the Azimio La Umoja – One Kenya Alliance.
While submitting his nomination papers before the office of the clerk of the Senate, Musyoka intimated that ahead of Thursday vote, they will be engaged in intense lobbying during the first sitting of the 13th Parliament to elect their respective Speakers after taking oath of office.
“The senators will have to make the decision tomorrow, a very important decision and of course we will be talking to some of them if we can,” he said.
Musyoka who will have an uphill task to gunner the numbers to support his quest given that a number of Azimio La Umoja Senators have defected to Kenya Kwanza Alliance termed the nerve wrenching battle for the post as a ‘time for reflection.’
“Perhaps an occasion for national reflection, bridge building if we can and I think that’s the work of the Senate,” the Wiper Leader stated.
According to the resolutions made at Azimio’s parliamentary group meeting, the coalition will support Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo’s bid for the Senate Deputy Speaker post.
“We will win this because we believe in God, and we are assured of victory. We have faith that in this we will emerge winners,” stated Madzayo while submitting his nomination papers.
The Kilifi Senator will battle it out with Meru Senator Kathure Murungi who has been proposed by the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
The Azimio La Umoja outfit, which enjoys the support of outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta, has also resolved to front Kenneth Marende as its sole candidate for the Speaker of the National Assembly post.
The Raila Odinga-led coalition has also nominated Dadaab MP Farah Maalim for the deputy speaker post.
In Kenya Kwanza Alliance, Bungoma Senator-elect Moses Wetangula has been nominated for the National Assembly Speaker post and will be deputised by Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Shollei.
One must marshal two-thirds or 233 of the 349 members of the National Assembly to be elected as speaker.
If none achieves, the one with the simple majority in the second-round wins.
The Ruto led team is way ahead in numbers as the outfit has been busy receiving new entrants to his coalition, including candidates who won on independent tickets.
Ruto, who convened a Kenya Kwanza Alliance caucus on Wednesday, said ten of twelve independent lawmakers had pledged to back his alliance in the execution of parliamentary business.
The President-Elect is also banking on two parties affiliated with the rival Azimio Coalition — Alfred Mutua’s Chama Cha Maendeleo (MCC) and Amason Kingi’s Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) – with a cumulative six lawmakers to bolster its dominance.
MCC and PAA leaders stormed out of Azimio and have since contested an exit clause that binds them to the alliance until November 9.
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) with its seven MPs, two senators, two governors and 35 Members of County Assembly also joined Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
Those who moved include Party Leader and Mandera Senator-Elect Ali Roba, Deputy Party Leader and Marsabit Governor-Elect Mohamud Ali and Mandera Governor-Elect Mohamed Adan Khalif who were present at President-elect William Ruto’s Karen Residence, Nairobi.
The party or coalition with a majority of legislators will have its way in the election of the Speaker.